Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa said his administration plans to develop agriculture across the state’s 203 political wards by tailoring interventions to the crops, livestock, and other agricultural activities that thrive in each community.
Mr Aiyedatiwa disclosed this on Wednesday at the FirstBank Agric and Export Expo 2026 at Eko Hotel, Lagos. The expo, themed “From Farm to Global Markets: Building Nigeria’s Export Value Chain,” brought together stakeholders in agriculture, finance, processing and export.
The governor said his administration designed the 203-Ward Agricultural Programme to identify the major agricultural activities in each ward and determine the support farmers need to increase production.
He said the programme would involve identifying farmers’ cooperatives, assessing available infrastructure and providing interventions based on the needs of individual farming communities.
According to him, communities that specialise in cocoa, oil palm, cassava, fishing and livestock cannot all receive the same type of government support.
📢 Stay Updated — Join Our WhatsApp Channel
💬 Be Part of Our WhatsApp Community
Join our WhatsApp Channel for curated updates, breaking stories, and exclusive insights from our newsroom.
📲 Join 👉 NRTC WhatsApp Channel
Mr Aiyedatiwa said the government was also encouraging farmers to work in clusters and cooperatives to make it easier for them to access modern equipment, funding, extension services, technology and processing facilities.
He identified cocoa, cassava, oil palm, fisheries and livestock as some of Ondo’s major agricultural assets. Still, he said the state must move beyond producing raw commodities if it wants agriculture to contribute significantly to economic development.
The governor said his administration had distributed more than two million cocoa seedlings in 2026 and continued to implement programmes aimed at improving livestock health.
He also said the government was improving rural infrastructure to ease the movement of agricultural produce from farms to markets.
According to him, Ondo has rehabilitated and constructed hundreds of kilometres of rural feeder roads through the Rural Access and Marketing Programme (RAMP), linking farming communities with commercial centres.
Mr Aiyedatiwa said the state was also working with local security outfits and federal security agencies to improve security around farms.
He added that the government was working to make land available to investors while protecting the rights and interests of host communities.
On access to international markets, the governor said Ondo had established a Strategic Committee on Compliance with the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR).
ALSO READ
- Ondo targets 203 wards for agricultural development, says Aiyedatiwa
- Peter Obi urges Nigerians to invest in Dangote Refinery IPO
- ‘A true legend’, ‘cultural icon’: Atiku, Keyamo, RMD, other public figures, celebrities mourn Olu Jacobs
He said the committee brings together farmers, exporters and processors, and the government has begun mapping farms to establish commodity origins and help cocoa producers comply with international requirements.
Mr Aiyedatiwa urged investors to look beyond buying and selling raw agricultural commodities or acquiring land for speculative purposes.
He encouraged them to invest in processing, agricultural technology, renewable energy and export logistics.
The governor said the state’s long-term goal was to process more agricultural produce locally, create jobs for young people and develop value chains around products such as chocolate, starch and other industrial derivatives.
He said these measures would also help Ondo products compete more effectively in international markets.
In goodwill messages, Niger State Governor Mohammed Umar Bago urged agricultural stakeholders to embrace modern agribusiness practices to create wealth.
Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, represented by the Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Systems, Ruth Olusanya, called for greater investment in the processing of agricultural products for export instead of shipping raw commodities abroad.
In his welcome address, FirstBank Nigeria Managing Director, Olusegun Alebiosu, described the expo as a platform for connecting farmers, processors, policymakers and financiers to support the diversification of Nigeria’s economy away from oil.
🔍 Explore More
- NRTC English Knowledge Base – Learn, improve, and sharpen your English skills.
- Top Stories From Around the World – Stay informed with the latest global news and insights.
- Specially Curated Listicles – Discover interesting lists, guides, and deep dives selected for our readers.
- Stay Updated: Join our mailing list and never miss the latest articles and updates from NRTC.
The Managing Director of Sunbeth Global Concept, Sukunmi Owoyemi, urged young agripreneurs to acquire practical experience in running agricultural businesses.
Mr Owoyemi also called for stronger collaboration among stakeholders to address challenges affecting the sector, particularly access to finance, education and effective policies.
